Sola wood flowers aren’t something necessarily new. Indian craftsmen have been making headpieces and garlands using these flowers for decades. When the Western world discovered them, and started incorporating these wooden wedding flowers into various floral arrangements, an entire industry was built around them. This is why, today, wooden flowers are a big eye-catcher for many weddings and can be seen almost anywhere around the world.
What Are Sola Wood Flowers?
As the name says, and as many arts and crafts enthusiasts may already know, sola wood flowers are flowers made out of sola wood. Sola wood is indigenous to the marshy lands of the Indian subcontinent, where it has been used for hundreds of years in order to make various decorative items. The most renowned ones are the sola flowers and the sola wood hats. The hats were made popular by the British colonialists, which would use them instead of the hats they already had, that were made out of traditional fabrics. Those hats were expensive and required a special upkeep in the hot and humid environment of tropical forests. And so, they adopted the much cheaper and more efficient sola hat.
The sola wood flowers are another big export of India. Originally made by the craftsmen named Malakars for the brides and groom of Bengali, the beauty of these little handcrafted wooden flowers captured the imagination of people all around the world. The traditional headpieces worn by the Bengali couples inspired thousands to adopt and incorporate various floral elements into western weddings. This is why, nowadays, flower shops all around the world offer wooden alternative to their natural floral bouquets and arrangements.
Making sola flowers has become big business for some. This is partly because people want something new and different to make their event special and partially because the materials and tools used to make the flowers themselves are inexpensive. Sola wood is a very light, very durable, cheap material. Harvesting it is relatively easy and it can be still found in abundance in the marshy forests of India. The wood is actually the core of the stem of a special plant, that when cut looks milky-white. Once dried, it is cut into sheets and rolled up and shipped out to wherever it is needed.
How to Choose the Right Wooden Wedding Flowers?
Choosing the right wooden wedding flowers is no easy task. Especially if it is your first time doing so. There are a lot of things one has to consider before making this decision. But the good news about these flowers is that you have a lot of options to choose from. Although sometimes having too many options can be as bad as having too few, in this case, variety is all that matters. But before rushing to your nearest wooden flowers making shop, you should take a moment and consider all the possibilities. And you should start by defining what kind of wedding you are planning on having. A traditional one might not be the best one to try out something as alternative as wooden wedding flowers. Then again, that might be just the thing your party needs to make it stand out. But don’t go too far with the experimentation. Try and keep it in sync with the other decorations and the overall theme.
A second thing to consider when choosing the right wooden wedding flowers is the type of flowers you want. Different flowers might have different meanings, if you are into things like that. The best part about having wooden flowers instead of natural ones is that you are not restricted by season or availability. If you want to have a winter wedding, but like sunflowers for instance, you can have a gorgeous bouquet of sunflowers in the middle of January without having to rely on expensive imports. For the more eccentric bride, these flowers can be customized almost any way she wants. For instance, if you like the shape of sunflowers, but want them to smell like Channel No. 5, you can do that. Wooden flowers can be made to look and smell like anything you want. All you need is a bit of imagination and a craftsman that understands what you want.
Another big advantage of these flowers is that they can be used for almost anything decorations related. For instance, the central pieces for the tables at a wedding can be made so that they complement the brides’ bouquet. Also, various other decorations, such as garlands and hair pins can be made using these flowers in order to give the whole event a wholesome feeling. The versatility of these man made mini-wonders makes them perfect for even the most pretentious of brides and can bring a smile to anybody that sees them. Not to mention the fact that they are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Basically, wooden wedding flowers can be tailor made to anyone’s specific wants and needs. All it takes is a little bit of imagination and the right pair of hands to put your vision into reality. But what if that pair of hands is actually yours? Because making these flowers isn’t rocket science, and is also a really neat hobby to have, you can just go to your local hobby shop, pick up some sola wood, some wire and some paint and start creating your own flowers, without relying on anyone else. It can even be a fun thing to do with the other members of the wedding party. There are tons of instructional videos online with step by step tutorials. You might even find you have a talent for this and who knows, maybe even be able to start your own business out of it. in any case, wooden wedding flowers are a really nice thing to do when your big day comes and they will serve as a lasting reminder of the moment you said “I do!”.
